Chapter 304 - In Bed

Stardust.

In truth, while those unfamiliar with her might not know, she possessed overwhelming popularity among heroes in the Republic of Korea.

Of course, among those who heard this, some would respond:

'No. Isn't the villain Egostic actually more popular than Stardust?'

...That's also true.

After all, Egostic's fan cafe had more members than Stardust's fan cafe, becoming one of the top-ranked sites in the Republic of Korea.

However.

Stardust's true value lay in the fact that, unlike Egostic, she was a 'hero.'

Of course, Egostic was jokingly called the S-class hero Mangostick, but officially he was still a villain.

As such, politicians couldn't really mention Egostic much. Because he was a villain.

But Stardust was different.

She was officially a hero of the Association, and she herself was a hero who had saved thousands and tens of thousands of people.

Not only that. She had the honor of being the first S-class hero in the Republic of Korea, and she had directly saved far more people than other top-tier heroes like Icicle or Shadow Walker, so her achievements were countless.

How many national disaster-level incidents had she prevented alongside Egostic? From the Moon Light Cult's monsters to the Demon King at the Trade Center. No one could deny her enormous contribution to protecting Korea after seeing the videos that Egostic himself had filmed and broadcast.

On top of that, her popularity had only increased due to the romance rumors between Egostic and Stardust that the media had been pushing for some time.

Beyond public support.

...She was close friends with Lee Seol-ah, the chairwoman of the powerful Yu-seong Group, and was even close enough to the Association Director to steal and throw his popcorn.

Though she was always busy working, running around stopping terrorism, and not appearing on broadcasts.

In truth, Stardust had enough influence to wield power almost unchecked if she wanted to. What would happen if she, who was single-handedly responsible for stopping more than half of the terrorism in the Republic of Korea, suddenly decided to quit being a hero?

And because she was such a person.

"...Egostic is a dangerous villain."

"Since he surrendered suspiciously easily, he needs constant surveillance."

"Therefore, I will also live at Carceris with him. Who else could handle him but me? He needs close monitoring."

When Stardust said this with a determined expression to the Association officials.

"...Understood, Ms. Stardust."

There was no one in the Association who could stop her.

And soon after receiving permission from the Director, the person in charge, with the words, 'Sigh. Stardust, fine. Do as you please.'

Everything proceeded smoothly.

They brought in an extra bed and toiletries to the largest and most spacious room in Carceris.

...When the officials heard that Stardust, the hero of the Republic of Korea, would be staying there, they hurriedly modified the cell to make it almost like a hotel room.

Only when all preparations were complete.

...Only then could Egostic board the ship. He probably didn't know why he had been waiting.

And so.

"Hmm... hmm..."

Stardust hummed as she packed her luggage into a carrier.

Only after packing everything did she leave her home.

To go to Carceris.

To be with Egostic.

"...Wait for me, Egostic."

This time, I won't let you go.

With those words, she flew into the sky.

Some time later.

"Hello, Egostic."

Hiding her pounding heart, she smiled brightly at the dumbfounded Egostic.

Stardust. She had thought long and hard about this. She had contemplated and waited for a long time.

As such.

This time, she had no intention of running away.

***

My plan was definitely perfect.

Infiltrate Carceris by letting Stardust capture me. Then, after being locked in solitary confinement, perfect my plan and escape to the deepest part of Carceris at the right time to kill that wish-granting demon... that was the plan.

Why is Stardust... here?

"Hmm..."

I opened my mouth in bewilderment as I watched Stardust pulling her carrier into my prison cell.

"Um... Ms. Stardust? Why are you here?"

"Hm? Am I not allowed to be here?"

She answered as if it were obvious.

As I was about to lose my composure at her brazen attitude, Stardust spoke again nonchalantly.

"...You got captured in a situation where you obviously shouldn't have been caught. You must have some suspicious plan. Did you think I wouldn't know?"

She paused midway, looking at me as she said this.

'...How did she know?'

As I was thinking that to myself, Stardust grinned again and spoke.

"So, I'm going to keep monitoring you. To make sure you don't do anything strange."

...Somehow she was speaking much more casually than usual.

While her behavior seemed somewhat different, resolving this bewildering situation was my priority.

"...So, you're not saying you're going to live here together, are you?"

"Yep."

"No... really?"

"Yes. I'll be sleeping here too."

As I watched her casually sit down on the bed and say that, I finally realized that a huge problem had arisen.

It was hard to believe this was reality.

Especially seeing Stardust sitting on the adjoining bed made it feel even more surreal. Right. I wondered why the room was unusually nice... this was the reason.

Seeing Stardust sitting on the bed with her golden hair flowing down, with her radiant appearance inside a prison cell, made me feel like I was losing my mind.

...This is wrong. Something has gone very wrong.

I need a plan.

While I was thinking that.

Stardust looked up at me, met my eyes with her blue ones, smiled brightly and said:

"So, I'm counting on you, okay?"

And with that feeling of my mind going blank.

...An unexpected cohabitation between Stardust and me began.

***

How many hours had passed since then?

She had already taken off her hero suit and was now sitting on the bed in comfortable casual clothes, leaning against the headboard.

I too had removed my cape and was sitting wearing only my coat.

...We were both drinking juice.

No, seriously. Why is there juice in the refrigerator of an S-class villain's prison? Is this some kind of motel that provides Del Monte bottled drinks?

"What are you thinking about?"

While I was continuing with these useless thoughts.

...She, who had been lying on the bed reading a book right in front of me until just now, was looking at me, meeting my eyes, and asking that question.

At the small round table next to the bed.

For some reason, there were two chairs placed there, and I was sitting in one of them, looking at Stardust and sighing.

"...I'm thinking about how to get rid of you, Ms. Stardust."

When I said that, she chuckled and closed her book.

"I'm going to stay here until I see what you're up to, so don't waste your energy on useless thoughts."

Looking at her as she said that.

...I cleared my throat and turned my head away.

It wasn't for any other reason, but because looking at her for too long felt a bit...

Seeing her wearing a normal short-sleeved T-shirt instead of the red hero suit she usually wore felt very new. It felt like I was facing Shin Ha-ru inside, rather than the hero Stardust.

...Come to think of it, Stardust without her suit, wearing casual clothes, really looked like an ordinary woman her age. Just unbelievably beautiful.

As I was absentmindedly staring at her sitting there with her blonde hair pushed back.

'...This isn't the time.'

I cleared my throat and came to my senses.

This wasn't the time for such idle thoughts. This was a crisis. My plans were all falling apart. No, how could I escape with Stardust stuck by my side? Why was she next to me in the first place?

And that wasn't the problem... to begin with.

"Ms. Stardust. What makes you confident enough to lie down in front of me?"

"Hm..? What do you mean?"

"No. First of all, I'm a man too, aren't I...? You seem to be saying you'll sleep next to me too, and that's..."

As I was trying to explain the Confucian principle of gender separation to drive her away.

Stardust suddenly gave a mischievous smile and said to me:

"I'm much stronger than you anyway. Besides, I don't have any thoughts about you. Do you have some ulterior motives toward me?"

What?

And the moment I heard her words.

I felt dumbfounded.

...Ulterior motives? Since falling into this world, how hard had I tried to maintain our relationship solely as Stardust's villain and arch-enemy? How much effort had I put into remaining just a fan, never allowing myself to develop any deeper feelings?

Ulterior motives toward me? Absolutely ridiculous. I am innocent and pure. It's just fan admiration... fan admiration...!

Feeling somewhat stung, as if making excuses to myself.

...Forgetting what I needed to do, I blurted out defensively to Stardust:

"...Ulterior motives? What ulterior motives? That's absurd. To me, Ms. Stardust is just a hero who is my arch-enemy. Nothing more, nothing less."

"...Really?"

At that moment, Stardust's face darkened slightly, but I didn't notice.

And I should have stopped there.

"Yes. Of course. Do I look like a villain who's so unhinged that I would harbor ulterior motives toward a hero?"

"...For someone who says that, you always come running whenever something happens to me. You even hugged me."

"...Ahem. That was just as an arch-enemy."

Looking at Stardust, who was narrowing her eyes suspiciously at me, I then blurted out:

"So."

"I have never, for a moment, seen Ms. Stardust as a woma-"

Just as I was saying that.

Stardust, who had been lying on the bed, suddenly got up and grabbed me.

Thud.

Before I could do anything, she pushed me onto the bed behind me.

Somehow our bodies were now overlapping. With my back against the bed next to where she had been.

In front of my eyes, with our faces close enough to feel each other's breath.

Almost in my arms, kneeling between my legs, with her arms stretched out beside my head against the headboard.

Right in front of me.

Looking straight into my eyes, with a slightly reddened face but still smiling faintly, she whispered:

"...Then even now, you don't see me as a woman?"

And looking at her.

I quietly thought.

...I do.